Britain’s coronavirus death toll has increased to 2,921 after 569 more patients died in just 24 hours – the highest day-on-day increase since the outbreak began. The previous total was 2,352 after a rise of 563. The Department of Health said: “As of 9am on 2 April 2020, 163,194 people have been tested, of which 33,718 were confirmed positive. As of 5 pm on 1 April 2020, of those hospitalised in the UK who tested positive for coronavirus, 2,921 have died. It comes amid growing anger over a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and testing on NHS staff working long and gruelling shifts on the frontline of the Covid-19 fight.
A total of 126 patients have now died in Scotland after testing positive for coronavirus, the Scottish Government has confirmed, up by 50 from 76 on Wednesday. Official statistics showed that 2,602 people had tested positive for the virus, up 292 on the previous day. At a briefing at St Andrew’s House in Edinburgh, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that 162 people were in intensive care with Covid-19. A total of 18,128 coronavirus tests have been carried out in Scotland.
The First Minister described coronavirus as a “cruel virus” as people are not allowed to spend time with loved ones in hospital. She said that 40 deaths had not been reported due to “family liaison” issues, but it would not be correct to say they had happened in the past 24 hours. A new reporting system would be put in place, meaning the daily figure of confirmed deaths will not rely solely on health boards, but will also include data from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) death registration process. As of next week, NRS will also begin to report on deaths where Covid-19 is mentioned on the death certificate. The First Minister said the Scottish Government was trying to be as “transparent as possible”. Meanwhile, Boris Johnson is still showing coronavirus symptoms, Downing Street has confirmed.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “The PM continues to have mild symptoms, but he does still have symptoms.” Asked if Mr Johnson would be leaving self-isolation on Friday, the spokesman said: “We’re following the guidelines from Public Health England and from the chief medical officer which state that you need to self-isolate for a period of seven days, so no change in that.”
Britons will take part in another “clap for our carers” celebration on Thursday night to pay tribute to key workers, including NHS, emergency services and food distribution staff. Downing Street has said that 2,800 NHS staff have now been tested for the coronavirus at drive-in testing facilities. The Prime Minister’s spokesman said that in addition a “significant number” had been tested at NHS and Public Health England laboratories.
The spokesman said that Health Secretary Matt Hancock will be setting out plans for a significant increase in the testing programme. The Government is still facing calls to equipment frontline staff with personal protective equipment (PPE) as the UK nears the worst of its outbreak.
Ms Sturgeon said there had been “significant” steps taken to get PPE to health workers in Scotland.
Health Protection Scotland (HPS) would also be issuing new guidance on how PPE is distributed, she added. Ms Sturgeon was also clear on what testing “can and cannot achieve”. Current tests, she said, could identify cases of Covid-19, but would be unable to detect the virus in the incubation period or if someone has previously had the virus. The Scottish and UK governments are currently working on a more thorough antibody test.
The family of a nurse who died after treating a coronavirus patient said the Government has questions to answer about the lack of PPE and testing on NHS staff. Thomas Harvey, a father-of-seven, died “gasping for air” at the family home in Hackney, east London on Sunday, having collapsed in the bathroom.
In other news – Cuban and Chinese doctors are coming to SA to fight COVID-19
Cuban and Chinese doctors may soon be deployed in SA to reinforce the country’s medical capacity in the fight against the spread of coronavirus in the country.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize had asked Cuba and China through the World Health Organisation to send doctors to the country. Read more
Source: msn
